Freedom
by DarknessRising10
Summary: Not only does Sideswipe end the war, he frees Onslaught. Warnings: sticky, mechxmech, offscreen canon character death. One shot complete


Warnings for off scene canon death with mild reference, and OOC characters. Sticky smut and mech pairings.

This one as been on Ao3 for a few months but as ive been avoiding posting smut over here, I hadn't put a copy up. However as the smut scene at the end isn't graphic, although is described, I thought I would give it a whirl here.

This was supposed to be a tiny fluffy ficlet to send via text message to Acidgreenflames in order to cheer her up, (at the time of writing) but not only did the ficlet grow legs and run away with itself, it did not end up entirely fluffy either. I really am useless at the whole fluff thing...cheese though, I seem adept at writing cheese. (Ending in particular)

Acid and myself have created a little head canon with Sideswipe x Onslaught and Sunstreaker x Vortex, and sometimes all four together, and yes, the characters can get awfully OOC at times.

**0000000000**

Straddling the grey and lifeless frame on the ground, Sideswipe smiled up at the mech standing over him. His grin, the one that was so slagging difficult to ignore, was a complete contrast to his energon strewn and battle damaged frame; the dark magenta hues which decorated him a mix of his and his victim's energon.

"I did it for you." His words a fusion of euphoric triumph and weariness. "And for Sunny." His dark optics shifted from the mech he spoke to over to his unconscious brother who lay a short distance away, Ratchet working fervently on his injuries. Sideswipe's words however had stilled his actions, capturing his and the attention of both factions; all optics pinned on him.

"And Tex." He added as an afterthought. "Sunny'd kill me if I forgot Tex." A grunted response echoed from the aforementioned Decepticon.

Those who could still stand on their pedes, alone or with aid, moved closer to the focus of their attention; none quite sure what was going on.

Rising to his feet and stepping over the prone frame below him, Sideswipe swayed, but his lop sided grin remained in place. "And now we can be together." A collective gasp filled the air.

Hidden optics flicked from Sideswipe to the crowd behind the front liner, before dropping back to the crimson Autobot. Sideswipe took a few shaky steps forwards, stopping when came toe to toe with the large Decepticon he addressed. "For you Slaught, and for Sunny and Tex." He repeated. "So we can do all the things we talked about." His dark optics flared brightly. "So we can live our lives together, and not hide."

Onslaught resisted the urge to reach out to touch the beleaguered mech while his mind processed what the Autobot was telling him.

"It's over Slaught, the war. He's dead and it's over. And you're free." Sideswipe swayed a bit more; his own energon loss taking its toll on his frame. But the Autobot remained upright. "Say something." His voice was almost pleading. He couldn't understand why Onslaught just stood there, silent, and his smile faded just a little.

"It is not as simple as that Sideswipe." Came the Combaticon's strained reply. Hurt and disappointment lanced at Sideswipe's spark. Why wasn't it that simple?

Megatron was dead. He had killed the warlord with his own claw tipped hands. He had torn out his spark chamber and snuffed out his life force. The war was over. "But…" he started before he trailed off, his smile completely gone now.

Suddenly a large grey servo rested against Sideswipe's helm, Onslaught's thumb brushing at his cheek, the front liner leaning into the touch, optics flickering but remaining lit. The Decepticon wanted to see Sideswipe smile again, but whatever it was Sideswipe thought they could have, it wasn't going to happen overnight. "Megatron's war may be over, but we are still enemies. We…"

_"No!"_ Sideswipe cried. "This is the moment we talked about…when the war is over, when you are free from his clutches. I made it happen, Slaught." Sideswipe hesitated. "I made it happen." He whispered.

"Oh Sideswipe." Onslaught's vocals were low, his own pain evident. "It does not just end like that. We do not just put millennia of war and hate behind us." His own words were killing him. Sideswipe had no idea that all Onslaught wanted to do was to scoop him up, walk off that battlefield and nurse him back to health, but just because their leader was dead it did not mean the Decepticons were ready to surrender.

Sideswipe fought the hitch in his system. He was tired, and not only did he hurt physically, he hurt emotionally. He could only feel Sunstreaker faintly through the bond and the weight of the stares from those around him was beginning to weigh heavily on him.

Had he made a mistake? Had Onslaught been taking him for a ride all this time? False promises made in the knowledge that their plans could never happen; that there would be no end to their war. No, it couldn't be a mistake. He had seen it in Onslaught's optics. The wistful look when the Combaticon talked about the sights they would see, the things they would do, once the war was over.

"But I made it happen." The crimson twin was beginning to sound like a broken record. "I killed him. And I told him, before he died, that I did it for you, us, the four of us. And he laughed. He said that you would never be free in your processor, that you were too damaged and couldn't survive outside the war." A renewed vigour lit Sideswipe's optics. He had to make Onslaught believe he could have this. "But I said he was wrong, as I thrust my hands into his chest, I told him that you loved me, and I loved you." Murmurs began to ripple through the two factions, who until now had been stunned into silence by the exchange, Megatron's death seemingly taking a back seat to the little soap opera playing out in front of them. "And just before I crushed his spark I saw his defeat, fleeting, but it was there, in his optics. He knew he had lost. Not just the war or his life, but he lost all power. Power over you Slaught."

The visor which shielded the commander's optics, flickered. He wanted to believe it all, but he couldn't see how he could. He had been under the control of others for so long, that he wondered if he could ever live life of his own accord.

Suddenly a shrill voice cut through the heavy air.

"He's right." All optics shot to Starscream as the air commander staggered forward, aided by Thundercracker and Skywarp.

Onslaught shuddered at the sound of his former master's voice.

"With the demise of Megatron I am now the Decepticon leader." And for the first time in millennia, there was no mocking triumph in his voice over this fact, just a weariness that weighed on them all. "And I for one am too tired for this slag. All we have done for millennia is kill one another, and for what? Neither faction has gained any advantage over the other." Ruby Optics searched out the Autobot Prime. "What say we put an end to this Prime? It's not going to be all…rainbows and dreams come true, but I am sure that we can find peace between us. Rebuild our lives. Someone has to be the first, why not us, collectively?"

Another murmur broke out as mechs looked at one another, some wondering if this could be done. Could they call a truce? Others muttered that it was a ruse, a trap, and that the twins had to be in on it. If they had been liaising with the two Combaticons, as Sideswipe's words suggested, then of course it was a trap.

Optimus Prime stepped forward, his optics raking over the lifeless frame of Megatron, almost not wanting to believe that he was dead despite the evidence in front of him. He had long ago given up any hope of this war ending whilst Megatron was still alive, and had accepted the notion that it only with the death of his nemesis would there ever be a chance of peace. This saddened the Prime but he regretted not coming to this conclusion sooner. If he had, then maybe there would be more of their race, and planet, to save.

Sideswipe tuned out of the conversation between his Prime and Starscream, right now he didn't care for the particulars, he only cared about Onslaught. "Slaught, I thought this was what you wanted, your freedom, _our_ freedom. And a future for us."

"It is." He whispered as he pulled Sideswipe's frame close, no longer caring if he drew the attention of the others. "More than you realise."

"Good." Came Sideswipe's muffled response, "Because I meant what I told him, I love you."

With his spark pulsing wildly in his chest at the confession, the Combaticon squeezed a little tighter. "And I you." He finally admitted.

When Sideswipe did not come back with any form of quip, as Onslaught had expected him to have, the Decepticon looked down at the smaller mech in his arms and realised Sideswipe had fallen offline. His injuries, and no doubt Sunstreaker's too, had clearly taken their toll on his frame and whatever hold the front liner had had on himself, he had let go of, succumbing to stasis.

Panic flaring through Onslaught he shouted for help. "Someone, anyone, help him." He demanded. He couldn't lose him now, not now that he had everything he realised wanted.

Ratchet looked up from where he was working on the golden twin, calling across the field for First Aid to see to Sideswipe. The Protectobot, dwarfed by Onslaught's size, nervously approached the Combaticon.

"Lay him down." He almost squeaked. "Please." Potential peace treaty or not, he was not about to anger the leader of the gestalt which formed Bruticus.

Onslaught was loathed to let the front liner go. He finally had him, was finally able to believe in the plans they had made, if ever they walked away from this war. Realising that the small medic could not help Sideswipe like this, the commander gently lay him on the ground. "Help him." He pleaded. "Please, don't let him die."

Wordlessly, First Aid plugged a scanner into Sideswipe's medical port, and only when the first ping sounded did he venture a glance at the Decepticon. "He's fine." He assured. "Minor injuries and low on energon, and that mixed with Sunstreaker's injuries his frame has just temporarily shut down. A trip to the med bay and some medical grade energon and he will be back on his feet in no time."

Taking in every word uttered by the medic, Onslaught nodded. "Thank you." He rasped as he grabbed one of Sideswipe's jet coloured hands, scraping a thumb across the knuckles. "Thank you." He repeated, but this time First Aid knew he was not whom Onslaught addressed.

**0000000000**

Bleary optics focused on the ceiling above him as Sideswipe came back online. The lights in the med bay were dim, meaning Ratchet and his team had finished treating the injured and only waited for recovering mechs to come back online.

"How do you feel Sideswipe?" The medic's tone was gruff, the day having been a long one, but Ratchet was truly relieved to see the familiar cobalt optics blink back in to life.

"Stiff. Sore" Sideswipe replied. "Like I went one on one with Megatron." It even hurt to smirk.

Normally the CMO would be berating the younger mech before his systems had finished booting up, but not tonight. "You do realise that you are lucky to be alive. He could have easily overpowered you. You and Sunstreaker think you are unstoppable, but Megatron is the one who was truly unstoppable…until today."

Sideswipe no longer smirked. For once he truly understood the gravity of what could have happened. But it hadn't. "Sunstreaker." He croaked.

"Stable. He will be in stasis for the night, just to give his injuries chance to heal." Sideswipe reached through the bond. Sunstreaker's presence was not as strong as it normally was, but relief flooded through the crimson twin as he felt his life force within. That relief suddenly gave way to a wave of panic.

"Slaught." He exclaimed. "What happened to him? Where is he?" The last thing he remembered was being held by the Decepticon, telling him he loved him…then he was here, in the med bay. He tried to sit up but Ratchet gently held him down before stepping aside, nodding his head towards the large dark frame sat on a chair, next to the med berth.

Onslaught's arms were crossed over his broad chest, his head dipped down as the chin of his battle mask rested at on the edge of his chest plate. "He refused to leave, despite being exhausted and in need of recharge." Sideswipe relaxed on the berth as he took the peaceful scene in, before he looked up at the medic. Realisation of what he had done, finally hitting him.

Not the killing of Megatron, but exposing his relationship with the Combaticon commander.

"So," he started awkwardly. "I guess you all know now." Ratchet gave him an expressionless look and Sideswipe returned him a weak grin as he tried to endear himself to the medic. Raising an optic ridge, Ratchet plugged a scanner into the medical port at the nape of Sideswipe's neck. "It was only supposed to be a bit of fun, relief from the constant battles."

"Please." Ratchet pleaded. "Don't tell me anymore, what you do in someone else's berth is your business." Activating the scanner the medic continued. "You know some will assume you gave away information. We may be about to finally get peace but there may still be a few scraps forthcoming."

Sideswipe looked back over at Onslaught. "We never betrayed the Autobots, well not in the sense others will assume we did. We know we did wrong, sleeping with the enemy as it were, but there were rules. Strict rules about not sharing information. And we never did. At first it was more 'facing and less talking." Ratchet heaved a vent. "Why are you so intent on sharing your interfacing activities with me?"

"Sorry." Sideswipe mumbled, turning his attention back on the medic. "But I need to explain it to someone." Ratchet dialled his optics in his most put upon way, but he let the front liner continue. "As time went on things started to change. We started to talk, share stories of our lives before the war, got to know one another." Red servos explored Sideswipe's frame, checking his healing wounds. "Then one day I realised it was more than interfacing to me, and I was sure he felt the same. Suddenly I wanted everything we had talked about, I felt I had a future to live for, and I would do anything to have that."

Wincing when Ratchet prodded at a wound in Sideswipe's chest, the front liner paused. "That one will take a while to heal." The medic informed him.

"So I'll live then?"

"Seems so." Ratchet replied as he followed Sideswipe's line of sight back to the Decepticon. "I guess I can understand the attraction…physically, but he is still a Decepticon Sideswipe. He could've killed you." Ratchet looked back at Sideswipe. "And Vortex, Pit, he's a maniac at best. Really Sideswipe, what were you both thinking?" The front liner opened his mouth to respond, but was quickly cut off. "Wait…don't answer that, it wasn't your processor you were thinking with." There was a time when that kind of comment would have elicited a leer from the younger mech, but not today.

"I'm not going to defend him Ratchet. He's everything you know him to be, and more. And Vortex, you really haven't seen insane until you see him lose his slag, but Pit Ratchet," two pairs of optics bore into one another. "Me and Sunny have a reputation just as bad, and you know that isn't all just rumour. But we weren't always at war, and we weren't always who our badges dictate we are. And that doesn't just go for Autobots."

"You don't have to tell me that Sideswipe, but still, it was a risk to both you and Sunstreaker, and our crew." Having finished his assessment of the injured front liner Ratchet unplugged the scanner from Sideswipe's frame. "Now Sunstreaker and Vortex, not only is that unexpected, well it all is really, but that's one Pit of a lethal combination." The medic commented with amusement.

Looking over at Sunstreaker, Sideswipe smiled. "It's odd, but somehow Sunny is able to keep Tex calm. I don't know how he does it, don't think he does either, but they just work." Sideswipe looked back up at the medic. "I don't care what anyone else thinks Ratch, I'm not going to stop seeing him. I killed Megatron to be with him, and I don't want to live my life without him."

"And no one is asking you to." Ratchet replied. "You will have to answer some questions, but if we are to live in peace then why put a stop to the thing that allowed that peace to be possible? Now, less talk and more recharge."

"But…"

"But nothing. Onslaught will still be here when you wake. Now don't make me force your recharge protocols." Sideswipe glared at the medic for a moment before nodding his head in acceptance, and glancing once more in Onslaught's direction, to ensure he really was there, he let himself drift off.

**0000000000**

It was the movement of someone climbing on to his berth that brought Sideswipe out of recharge.

"Sunny?" He questioned as his optics booted up.

"Sorry." Came the voice which definitely didn't belong to Sunstreaker. "I did not mean to wake you." It took a moment for the credit to drop.

"Slaught!" Optics flickered into life and met exposed orbs of gold. "You're still here."

A beat of silence passed before Onslaught replied. "Where else would I be?"

Remaining silent, Sideswipe regarded the Decepticon, trying to gauge if this was a messed up memory flux, or if he truly was laid up in the Ark's med bay with Onslaught beside him. Eventually convinced that this was all real, the Autobot shifted his frame so that he could tuck himself against the larger one beside him, his head resting on Onslaught's shoulder.

"Thought maybe…I dunno," Sideswipe finally replied. "That you'd changed your mind…that all we'd talked about were just empty promises." Sideswipe's fingers lightly traced a pattern of glyphs on the thick chest plate of the commander. He couldn't help but recall Onslaught's initial response, out on the battlefield.

Onslaught squeezed the younger mech tightly against him. "No Sideswipe, I have not changed my mind."

A small smile graced the front liner's lips. "Good!" He stated. "Because, I'd hate to have to hunt your sorry aft down." Onslaught allowed his own smile of mirth, a comfortable silence settling over the two as they relaxed into one another, both lost in their own thoughts.

**0000000000**

"Oh, Slaught!"

Pleasure bloomed through Sideswipe as his hips rose to meet Onslaught's, the larger mech pinning him to his berth. It was the first night they had spent together since Megatron's death, and they planned to make the most of it.

Onslaught's large servo raked down Sideswipe's side and over his hip before pulling the front liner's leg up, hiking it up over his arm, the movement allowing Onslaught to seat himself deeper inside Sideswipe's valve.

"Frag, yess." Sideswipe hissed as the large spike moved inside him, lighting up his sensor net.

The pace between them picked up quickly, Onslaught surging between Sideswipe's thighs, his own pleasure mounting. He felt that he would never tire of seeing the way the front liner responded to his valve being filled over and over, the way he writhed, the sounds he made. The sight alone enough to tip the commander over the edge.

Jet coloured fingers bit into Onslaught's shoulder struts as Sideswipe's valve clenched at the thick appendage invading his frame, and Onslaught could feel the pressure which coiled low in his abdomen spiral towards exploding point.

The room became thick with charge, their energy fields pulsing and twining in tandem to the thrusts and for a moment, they both teetered on the edge of their overload. Another deep thrust and Sideswipe went crashing over the other side, his frame arching off the berth, pressing hard into Onslaught's frame, stiffening as his overload exploded through him.

Valve walls spiralling down on Onslaught's spike, Sideswipe pulled his lover over with him, both of their worlds imploding as they let go.

As they both came down from their high, their frames heaving in heavy draughts of air, Onslaught draped his heavy frame over the crimson one under him and buried his unmasked face in the crook of Sideswipe's neck, his lips nuzzling on sensitised cables before finding their way to his mouth.

Losing himself to the kiss, a few moments passed before Sideswipe broke away, and moving his mouth to Onslaught's audial he whispered, "Love you Slaught."

Warmth flushed through Onslaught's spark at the words before radiating through his heated frame. The first time he had heard Sideswipe say those words was a few days ago, as the crimson mech stood there swaying in front of him and their opposing factions, Megatron's life-energon dripping from his hands. The Autobot had declared himself to the Decepticon, in front of everyone, and Onslaught had responded, only Sideswipe hadn't heard, having fallen offline following his exertions.

Onslaught, his spike still nestled deeply inside the younger mech's frame, pushed himself up, so that he could look at his lover, his gold optics searching the pale grey face plates below him. Sideswipe's face hid nothing, his optics relaying the feelings behind what he had just said, and Onslaught felt himself fall for the front liner all over again. Only now he could admit to it. Now he could tell him, and Sideswipe would hear.

"I love you too." He murmured. The words felt a little awkward to the commander, but he meant them nonetheless, and as Sideswipe's smile grew Onslaught's spark surged with his love for the younger mech, the love he was finally free to give him.

With mouths meeting again, melding them together, Onslaught made long lazy thrusts into Sideswipe's valve. The sense of urgency had abated for now and he savoured the feel of the tight, wet heat around his spike as he began to make love to Sideswipe.


End file.
